Rachel Maddow Producer Expected To Seize Reins of ‘The View’ At ABC

A senior executive from MSNBC is expected to take the lead producing role at ABC’s “The View,” the latest signal that the durable daytime program will change radically following the retirement of its co-creator, Barbara Walters.

Bill Wolff, who exec produces MSNBC’s “Rachel Maddow Show” and serves as vice president of that news outlet’s primetime programing, is leaving the NBCUniversal-owned network to run “The View” at ABC, according to a person familiar with the matter. By doing so, he will replace Bill Geddie, who created the show with Walters and has run it as its executive producer since it debuted in 1997.

An MSNBC spokeswoman confirmed Wolff is leaving the network. An ABC spokeswoman for “The View” could not be reached for immediate comment.

ABC announced in July that Rosie O’Donnell, the often-controversial hostess and comedienne, would join Whoopi Goldberg at the center of “The View” for its 18th season. O’Donnell previously replaced Meredith Vieira on the show in the fall of 2006. She often clashed with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck. O’Donnell left the show in the spring of 2007, a move that was made before the end of her contract. One of the reasons for her departure, she has said in the past, was an inability to gel with the program’s producer.

The news of Wolff’s departure was reported previously by The Hollywood Reporter.

I didn’t watch much last year since Jenny came on, I didn’t like all the silly segments they put on. It was trying too hard to be current. Between Jenny and Sherri talking and Whoopi trying to calm them down it just got too much. Barbara didn’t have any control once Elisabeth left, she was left with other ultra liberals and no one who would help her.

I enjoy Whoopi on The View and the primary reason I watch. I hope the show will be kept intelligent,informative and sometimes light as the world currently is a disturbing place. I don’t want to watch drama or ego.

I haven’t watched The View in years, and clearly I haven’t missed much. They should have just ended this talk show while it was still relatively on top. Should The View get canceled in the near future and assuming the ridiculous lawsuit over the soaps resolves to some degree, I think ABC would be wise to revive One Life to Live and All My Children, even as half hour soaps. Talk shows are proving to be a dime in a dozen.